PLoS Medicine: Medical Journals Are an Extension of the Marketing Arm of Pharmaceutical Companies
"The most conspicuous example of medical journals' dependence on the pharmaceutical industry is the substantial income from advertising, but this is, I suggest, the least corrupting form of dependence. The advertisements may often be misleading [5,6] and the profits worth millions, but the advertisements are there for all to see and criticise. Doctors may not be as uninfluenced by the advertisements as they would like to believe, but in every sphere, the public is used to discounting the claims of advertisers.
The much bigger problem lies with the original studies, particularly the clinical trials, published by journals. Far from discounting these, readers see randomised controlled trials as one of the highest forms of evidence."
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
What is pandemic flu?
"Flu that spreads rapidly causing widespread epidemics around the world.
Pandemic influenza occurs when a new, highly infectious and dangerous strain of
the influenza virus appears.
In contrast to the ‘ordinary’ or `seasonal’, flu outbreaks which we see every winter
in the UK, flu pandemics occur infrequently – usually every few decades. There
were three in the last century. The most serious was in 1918, killing millions of
people worldwide. Smaller pandemics happened in 1957 and 1968."
"Flu that spreads rapidly causing widespread epidemics around the world.
Pandemic influenza occurs when a new, highly infectious and dangerous strain of
the influenza virus appears.
In contrast to the ‘ordinary’ or `seasonal’, flu outbreaks which we see every winter
in the UK, flu pandemics occur infrequently – usually every few decades. There
were three in the last century. The most serious was in 1918, killing millions of
people worldwide. Smaller pandemics happened in 1957 and 1968."
Brain Injury can be a life sentence
"The shocking case of barrister Peter Wareing, who suffered severe brain injuries during a brutal assault in the street, illustrates how susceptible the brain is to long-term and probably permanent damage.
"Sustaining a severe flesh wound or broken bones is bad enough", says Peter McCabe, chief executive of Headway - the brain injury association, "but it's possible for the victim to make a complete physical recovery. When the brain is damaged, and it happens very easily, the chances are that there will be serious impairments that last for ever.""
"The shocking case of barrister Peter Wareing, who suffered severe brain injuries during a brutal assault in the street, illustrates how susceptible the brain is to long-term and probably permanent damage.
"Sustaining a severe flesh wound or broken bones is bad enough", says Peter McCabe, chief executive of Headway - the brain injury association, "but it's possible for the victim to make a complete physical recovery. When the brain is damaged, and it happens very easily, the chances are that there will be serious impairments that last for ever.""
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Poverty, health, and the role of doctors
"Where feasible we should prescribe what is affordable and effective, especially to poor people and women, and not necessarily what the drug industry says is the best drug. In Angela's Ashes, his Pulitzer prizewinning account of his childhood among the poor of Ireland, Frank McCourt wrote: "Mom comes home in two days. She's weak and white and walks slowly. She says, `The doctor told me to keep warm, have plenty of rest and nourishing food, meat and eggs three times a week. God help us, those poor doctors don't have a notion of not having.'"
"Where feasible we should prescribe what is affordable and effective, especially to poor people and women, and not necessarily what the drug industry says is the best drug. In Angela's Ashes, his Pulitzer prizewinning account of his childhood among the poor of Ireland, Frank McCourt wrote: "Mom comes home in two days. She's weak and white and walks slowly. She says, `The doctor told me to keep warm, have plenty of rest and nourishing food, meat and eggs three times a week. God help us, those poor doctors don't have a notion of not having.'"
Friday, September 02, 2005
Can Food Heal? - Discover Magazine - science news articles online technology magazine articles Can Food Heal?
Often dismissed as old wives’ tales, food remedies are of increasing interest to scientists.
Often dismissed as old wives’ tales, food remedies are of increasing interest to scientists.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Salikah: A Student's Digest: "An important warning from Health Canada about Safi, Karala Pills, and other Indian remedies found to have dangerously high levels of lead, mercury, and/or arsenic and other heavy metals."
Friday, July 22, 2005
When the bomb exploded last Thursday morning, ripping apart the number 30 bus outside BMA House...
"As the dust settles on London, there are many questions but few good answers: questions about courage and competence—I saw examples of both on 7 July; about the chain of causation that led to this devastation on our doorstep; about this country's dismal involvement in the Middle East, sullied by self interest and addiction to oil; about the ill-fated war on terror, the invasion of Iraq with its shifting and never convincing rationale, and the differential value placed on life on all sides; about the evil of fundamentalism of whatever creed, and the global injustice that gives it excuse."
"As the dust settles on London, there are many questions but few good answers: questions about courage and competence—I saw examples of both on 7 July; about the chain of causation that led to this devastation on our doorstep; about this country's dismal involvement in the Middle East, sullied by self interest and addiction to oil; about the ill-fated war on terror, the invasion of Iraq with its shifting and never convincing rationale, and the differential value placed on life on all sides; about the evil of fundamentalism of whatever creed, and the global injustice that gives it excuse."
Friday, July 15, 2005
Complemetary Medicine and Internet healthcare
Complemetary Medicine and Internet healthcare
"Whenever you use the internet for information on complementary medicine, remember my motto - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
Edzard Ernst is professor of complementary medicine at the Peninsula medicine school at the universities of Exeter and Plymouth.
"Whenever you use the internet for information on complementary medicine, remember my motto - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
Edzard Ernst is professor of complementary medicine at the Peninsula medicine school at the universities of Exeter and Plymouth.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
CORONERS LAW RESOURCE
Your deceased relative may not have to have a Post Mortem these days...however, I hear it will cost relatives around £600 to have a scan instead.
"There is now some experience in the UK of carrying out postmortem investigation by means of magnetic resonance imaging ('MRI'), or 'scanning' in popular terms.
This is a non-invasive procedure, and hence more attractive than a conventional autopsy for those relatives with personal or religious objections to that course. "
Your deceased relative may not have to have a Post Mortem these days...however, I hear it will cost relatives around £600 to have a scan instead.
"There is now some experience in the UK of carrying out postmortem investigation by means of magnetic resonance imaging ('MRI'), or 'scanning' in popular terms.
This is a non-invasive procedure, and hence more attractive than a conventional autopsy for those relatives with personal or religious objections to that course. "
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